Commenting is one of the best ways to become more active on Steemit. It’s much easier and less time consuming than creating a new post for your own profile (which you should still be doing 1-2 times each day).
Plus, the more your name is out there on other people’s articles, the more exposure you can be giving your own work.
There are some best practices you need to follow when commenting to Steemit, to ensure you are doing your best to increase engagement and grow your reputation.
Following these four basic commenting strategies ensures you are leaving doing your best at growing Steemit as well as your reputation here!
How to Grow your Account by Leaving GOOD Comments
Make sure you read the article before you comment.
This should go without saying, but I think sometimes it’s overlooked. We get in a hurry but want to get our name out there on Steemit. You may think it’s okay to skip over most of the post and leave a “Great tips” type of comment before moving onto the next article.
However, if you want to write a good comment that has a chance of getting upvoted (and doesn’t look like spam), you MUST read the article.
And read the entire post, so you can form a comment that proves you took the time to digest what the author has said.
Engage with the Author.
It is important that you see a comment as your reply to someone, not just a compliment you make in passing.
Think about it, when you are listening to someone tell a story in person, you don’t simply say “good story” and walk away. Instead, you continue the conversation with your opinion, questions you have, or agreeing to what the other person said.
The same should be done for a comment on a Steemit article. Give your own opinion, tell why you agree or disagree with the author, or ask questions to better your own understanding.
Don’t Drop Links to your Work.
Just as a 1-2 word comment isn’t very authentic, dropping a link with a short comment is spammy as well. A better way to encourage the author (and others reading your comment) to visit your profile page is to add your Steemit username at the end of the comment.
When you type the @ symbol and then your username, it automatically becomes a link to your profile. Since it’s not a full link to a specific post it doesn’t look like such an eye sore – and it could lead to more traffic to your own posts!
If you do leave your username, do not add, “please visit me” or “please upvote.” There is no need to beg if you are leaving good comments. People will want to support you when you engage with them!
Reply to the Comments you Receive.
It’s not enough to just leave comments on other posts here. You should also be replying to the decent comments on your own articles. When I say decent, I mean those similar to the comments you should be leaving.
Personally, I tend to skip over the people that simply say “good article” or “upvote me.” To me, these are just spam comments being made in attempt to grow an account and not someone who is really seeking an engaged conversation.
When other Steemians see you replying and engaging with your commenters, they will be more likely to comment on your articles too. So, in the long run, replying to comments gains you more engagement and exposure – both of which help to grow your reputation here!
How Many Comments Should I Leave Each Day?
The number of comments doesn’t matter as much as the quality level of each comment you are leaving. With that said, I think 10 comments each day is a good place to start.
Just make sure you apply the tips in this beginner’s guide so that you aren’t wasting your time or looking like you just want more views for your own work.
Engagement is KEY when commenting!
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Follow my profile, @keciah, for more fun and helpful articles!
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Thanks, @keciah. I didn't know about the idea of putting my own name at the end of the comment. I'll try that.
And what a great comparison you made between commenting here and a conversation in person with someone. I'm talking about when you explained that you don't just say 'good story' and walk away after someone has told you something. That made it so clear. Everyone should understand when they read that. Thanks. @katebenzin
That is what struck me as well, trying to engage as if in a face to face communication. I also learned putting one's name at the end that I didn't have knowledge of the purpose. Make sense.
Your post caught my eye because of the fresh take on this important lesson for beginners. The great formatting also sets it apart! Commenting is really valuable for new steemian's instead of posting too much at first...because the act of building up a solid network through engagement will ensure that hard word will not go completely unnoticed. This is really great advice! <3
I agree with the not dropping links part...however there are some cases where relevent links are necessary and not entirely unwelcome. Such as those that notify about curation! In fact...I am also stopping by to say that you have been featured and curated for MSP Community Curation: Top Five 'Positive PAL Posts' - Week #08. I normally post a direct link... ;D
Okay, you got me, @creativesoul. There are times when link dropping is appropriate, but not in an attempt to just get upvotes. When you are actually contributing to the conversation and not merely doing a drop and run.
Thank you for the feature!! :)
Well, that must all be great advice, because it mirrors exactly what I have been told by people who are making it work here!
That's awesome! I guess we are already on the right track for success then, huh? :)
You would think!
This time next year, we'll be hundredaires!
Great tips, I'm still only new to Steemit, so I've got alot to learn, but I appreciate your advice. Would you like to catch up for a coffee and discuss your views in more detail?
I'm a little busy at the moment, I just have to reply to 9 more posts today, then I'm free!
😉 JK, thanks for the advice, I've had one amazing post... By that I mean I earnt like $2.50 and it felt great. But like you said, I've been surprised how much even a simple reply can make.
Haha, thanks for stopping by, @philippekiene! $2.50 on a post as a beginner is really good! Keep work hard at commenting and posting and you should surpass that amount in no time!
Thanks, it was my introduction post though, about me and the family living in cambodia....
Think it was more sympathy votes lol.
hahahah, who cares if it was sympathy. Just write what you feel like and screw the rest
Very good, informative guide on commenting. Sometimes, I reply to the people who leave a shallow comment, telling them to read up on how to make good comments, and sending them an article that’s about a year old. I think I’ve found my new reference guide :0)
Last week, I saw someone else also mentioning the comment tag (ending with your username). I was surprised I had never thought of that before.
I still need to get used to it, though. I tend to forget :0)
Anyway, great post.
Always happy to read such quality articles.
Because of your quality post, you have been upvoted and resteemed as part of my personal curation of top newbie posts for the #newbieresteemday initiative
We invite you to use our tag to connect with more of our members. To learn more visit: Come Join Us!!! (Newbie Resteem Initiative)
@simplymike
Thanks for the kind words, @simplymike. I actually learned the comment with your username trick from @dolphinschool - VERY HELPFUL for beginners! And I may try replying to those short comments linking this article from now on. It couldn't hurt, right?! :)
I’ve already met some people who were leaving those shallow comments because they didn’t know any better. It was because the author told them that was not the way to comment that they learned. So I hold on to that thought. There will always be those who are not willing to learn, but if we can educate just 10%, that’s good enough for me.
Lol, I suspected it was @dolphinschool :0)
I learned about the comment tag from Steemgoblin last week.
I felt so bad that I only bumped into @dolphinschool when they were already at day 7, because I would have loved to join it...
There are comments inspiring,
Comments encouraging,
But this is the comment giving you energy,
Flowing carelessly through the infinity,
Mindset on love and the moment where you are free,
Do your own thing,
Build your own destiny,
You have the magic in you
And now you see!
Love this, @spellmaker! :)
Good article ;-) I think when people first arrive to Steemit they think it's another version of those "other" social media platforms. But of course, it's not... it's quite different and demands a new level of authenticity and interaction. Hope it stays this way :-)
I hope so too, @positiveninja. This is definitely not the place to drop your link or a couple words and run. I like that it's more geared toward engagement...and the fact that you are well rewarded for it is certainly a bonus!
Thank you for posting this. I've found it a useful guide. I find the spamming and begging for upvotes very annoying, as are comments like "nice post, upvoted" though I have upvoted you because this post deserves one.
Thank you for stopping by, @anglotrucker! I agree they are very annoying. It's always better to have something worthwhile to say about the article you are commenting on. I appreciate your upvote! :)
You're welcome. I look forward to more great content. :)
This is great information. I’ve heard this before, but it’s alway good to hear it again! I need to start heeding this wonderful advice!
There is no need to add your username to the end of a comment. It's redundant since your username is just above the comment.
That is true, but I think the idea is it's one click versus clicking the username above the comment. Then, you have to click the link and then a second time inside the little box that pops up. It's always about making things easier for your reader!
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"Engagement is KEY when commenting!" is a great one sentence ending for your post.
Good article. Plz follow me...
via GIPHY
Sorry, couldn't resist, @keciah! Yep, I agree that engagement is key. If you comment, you (they) will grow (apologies to Kevin Costner). 😊
Haha, love that gif! Yes...exactly like Field of Dreams, only with your Steemit profile ;)
I have developed a habit of responding to everyone who comments on my posts and replying to my comments. Even the three word replies receive my attention because I promised myself when I first started that I was going to be one of the most interactive individuals on steemit.
I've left some decent comments on many people's posts but about only 10% of them respond. This really hurts because I've put in so much thought and effort in writing that comment so I don't want to make anyone else feel like that.
These are fantastic tips that will grow anyone's account if they aren't too lazy to implement them. I'm sorry if I sound a bit rude but I have seen some appalling behaviour of vote begging lazy commenting that left me in shock. I couldn't believe there were such people here. If they don't love writing than why are they here?
Same, i just came on here cos im super lonely in real life and crave interaction I want to see what others think how others see my work. Are they thinking the same as me or am i alone? Any time you leave decent or shit comments on my post I reply cos what the hell. No one should be snubbed.
Why are you lonely though?
I think loneliness is more of a feeling than a situation. You can feel lonely in a hundred friends. You dont have to be alone to feel it
I agree. But still my question remains answered. If you're not comfortable with answering then I understand.
I dont have a particular reason to be but I still am. dont know why.
It just happens right? I know that feeling all too well. I dreaded going to social events because I got irritated feeling alone in a noisy place.
I think some are just out for a quick buck, unfortunately. They make have heard of Steemit as a place you can earn for writing, so they decide to cut corners and do as little as possible to try to make money. Luckily, this place isn't for the spammers so they find out rather quickly they aren't going to get very far with the begging!
It really annoys me how some people can always find a way to ruin a good thing. "Self-centredness" is a disease that is plaguing mankind. Shortcuts in life lead short term results that aren't even worth the time. I'm glad that they learn quick that this isn't a place for such.
This is a really important part to growing here. It has been said so many times and lots of people still don't understand how important the engagement side of Steemit is. I like how you communicated the importance with this and how you broke it down for easier understanding.
Thanks for your kind words, @jusipassetti! :)
Basically, you just described what i do when commenting. It quite interesting to be able to learn from your post. All i believe most people is just write a whole long article. And comment less...but your piece have gained something....thank you
I really enjoy doing both. You get different pleasures from posting and commenting. With commenting, you are helping to grow a conversation, while with posting you are just planting the seed. :)
Thank you for making me learn something meaningful today. I will always be grateful. Commenting and posting should done more. In a situation where you are busy to post. Just comment more....just upvoted you, because it is worthy of upvote. Followed too
An encouraging post. I'm still new to steemit and try to figure everything out here. Sometimes I think I got it but then it can be discouraging when you think you made a decent reply and get no response.
I think one should just respond for the heck of it. So what if the next person doesnt reply? at least he/she read it and if not then who cares. Move on, we'll be rich some day too
@keciah, this post will help those who read it to understand the importance of building interaction with other Steemians via commenting.
As I shared on another post on commenting either yesterday or the day before, before the end of my first day on Steemit last week, I decided to focus more on commenting than on pushing out a certain amount of posts every day. This helped me meet interesting peeps to follow and interact with on a consistent basis.
To honor the flow of give and take, I also upvote both posts I comment on as well as useful comments that visitors leave on my posts.
I post a comment when I really like the post and feel I have something to contribute, so if that's so, why would I not upvote the post?
For the latter, when someone takes the time to post more than the typical 'good', 'I like/love/whatever' or some such, something that continues the conversation or better yet, expands it, that's an honor I take very seriously. No one wants to write a post and it not be noticed, so I feel grateful when someone comments and show it with an upvote.... hopefully one that has a little $$ value to it too. ;)
Commenting has been one of the most fun activities I've experienced on Steemit. It's just way kewl to meet new Fam. ;)
Thanks again and I look forward to more posts from you. Upvoted already and will FB/tweet too.
Great advice, which I would have thought was mostly common sense. I've dabbled here, on and off for a little while, having been introduced by @jaynielea last year some time. I am now working on a transition from my other blogging platform, and may re-blog some of my posts here. There, I learned about engagement and really reading a blog post and, by and large, most folk did or do.
I think that sometimes folk forget that there is a "real people" just like themselves behind the post and that, actually, what is going on here is a real conversation where mutual respect and agreement to differ (as appropriate) is really all it takes.
Appreciate the tip for how to sign off a comment. I hadn't thought of that because if I want to find out more about a commenter, I go and look for them.
Oh, and before I end: I have to say that I don't appreciate being told to follow a blog and that I'll be followed in return. I'd prefer to be invited (semantics, perhaps) and for the person doing the inviting to appreciate that our interests may not jive, in which case I won't follow him or her. Similarly, I'd rather not have followers who are not interested in what I'm posting. No offence intended and none taken. I would hope, anyway.
@fionasfavourites
So you have some blogging experience like me, huh? I have owned a WordPress blog for almost 10 years so I learned the etiquette for commenting with that. And I agree, I only want people to follow me who will enjoy my content. I do not do follow for follow, ever! I do add my profile link at the bottom of each article, to give the reader just another chance to follow if he/she pleases. :)
Yup. I am also on WordPress - going on 4 years, I think. That blog has been somewhat neglected as I've been a tad distracted by other things. I am trying to get back into it. I see the @steemit platform somewhat differently, but perhaps that's because I haven't entirely come to grips with it. That said, I agree that the etiquette is the same and I learned a lot of lessons there, including about trolls and who I want to follow and why. And that blogging awards detracted from what I was wanting to do, and more to the point, were annoying to my followers. Perhaps it's different here. There is a link to that blog in my bio. If you would like a gander. Unsurprisingly it's also "Fiona's Favourites" (with the UK spelling and without the apostrophe. Cheers to a new blogging journey, hey?
I have been struggling with the idea of asking for upvotes. In sales that is called asking for the sale, not begging. So far I have not done so, don't think I will. I have noticed that people are quick to downvote something they don't like. I made a simple suggestion that people search a term on google and I got 14 downvotes. The most votes I ever had, up or down. I didn't get that. If they thought it was a dumb idea, then don't do it. If they were curious, no harm done by searching a term. Why did 14 people take the time to downvote a simple harmless suggestion.
I do have a habit of using links to video's. Because if someone has made a video that supports my point, why not use it if it will buttress my argument? I may not always add enough commentary to them. I will work on improving that.
I stated in my intro that I would not participate in vote for me/ vote for you schemes.
I like your suggestion about putting my handle at the end of a post or comment. I am going to start doing that.
I do need to improve my engagement. I will work on that. @thx1138
Yeah, asking for upvotes doesn't work very well on Steemit. It seems you make enemies quicker that way than friends. Sorry you got downvoted for that suggestion. Sometimes a simple tip can really help people out. I hope this will help you improve your engagement here!
These are awesome tips can't thank you enough @jaynoah
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Wow Kecia great article I didn’t know about the name linking thing. Your articles are becoming one of my favorites to read. It just puts me at ease.
These are really good tips, I try to keep up with them. I love when people drop on thoughtful comments. I think if I only say "good story" for someone that's telling me a story in person they will be pretty annoyed, haha! I never used the @ username tip, glad you mentioned :) Thank you for sharing. @julimattos